UPDATED: Epping man implicates new wife in murder of ex-wife

State police escort Aaron Desjardins of Epping into court last March for his arraignment on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his ex-wife, Amanda "Amy" Warf. (UNION LEADER FILE)

BRENTWOOD — Aaron Desjardins claimed he killed his ex-wife, Amanda "Amy" Warf, over concerns that she was trying to take their son away from him, a concern that also got his new wife, Sarah Desjardins, involved in the kidnapping and murder plot, according to a police affidavit.

"Both of us planned it, both of us executed it," Aaron Desjardins allegedly told his brother-in-law during a recorded phone call just four days after the March 7 murder in Exeter. "It was both of our decision to kill Amanda."

New details about the planning of the alleged murder plot became public on Monday after a judge unsealed several search warrants used to bring murder charges against Aaron and Sarah Desjardins, and his sister, Michele Corson of Skowhegan, Maine.

Aaron Desjardins, 37, of Epping, intends to enter an insanity plea prior to his first-degree murder trial, according to his public defenders. His wife, Sarah, and Corson are facing charges of accomplice to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The documents indicate that all three defendants made admissions to either state police detectives or family members about their alleged role in planning Warf's murder.

Warf was last seen alive by a co-worker driving in the parking lot of her workplace — Exeter Hospital, Core Physicians — around 6:30 a.m. on the day she was murdered.

Desjardins said that once he got Warf to the concrete plant, he slit Warf's throat with a utility knife and struck her in the head with the handgun, and later doused the body with gasoline, according to court records.

"He said that he poured gasoline on her body and lit it on fire," State Police Detective Sgt. Brian Strong said in the sworn affidavit. "Aaron indicated among other items, he brought a homemade wire garrote, a ski mask, camouflaged duct tape and a baseball bat with him. He said that he left these items, his grey sweater and a brown sweatshirt that he was wearing at the building, hoping they would be burnt by the fire."

Aaron and Sarah Desjardins began planning Warf's murder about two months before it happened, and intended to frame either Warf's current or former boyfriend for the killing, according to Strong.

"Aaron admitted that he burned Amy's body to get rid of evidence. That they had to keep this information between themselves and his sister, Michele," Strong said in a sworn affidavit.

Desjardins admitted to state police that he had scouted out the abandoned plant a week prior to the killing and planted a can of gasoline and other supplies in the building the day before the murder.

Sarah Desjardins told police that her husband was due to meet Warf for a counseling session on March 6, but when she canceled the appointment, it also moved up the plan for her murder, police said.

"She said that after Amy canceled the counseling session, the plan to kill Amy 'really firmed up,'" according to Strong's affidavit.

Corson allegedly took a .32-caliber handgun from her home to her brother after receiving a coded text message instructing her to bring a "roasting pan," state police said.

"Aaron admitted that in the weeks and months leading up to Amy's death he was fighting with her about child custody issues and whether he would remain on her insurance," Strong wrote. "He said that in the days before her death, he text-messaged Amy that he was done fighting over child custody."

Aaron Desjardins also admitted during a police interview that he shaved his head and facial hair with the help of his wife and sister so he could avoid leaving DNA evidence behind at the concrete plant.